Varmint 2013

When a new cartridge is introduced, its origins can often be traced to a cartridge P.O. Ackley had his hand in developing decades previously. A case in point is Hornady’s new 17 Hornet with roots back to the beginning of .17-caliber cartridges in the years following World War II. ...Read More >

When it comes to wildcat cartridges, anything with a .22-caliber bore gets my attention, and the “easy” ones make me start looking for a rifle to shoot them. This interest started way back with my uncle’s Winchester single-shot rimfire and led to a lifetime of varmint hunting. ...Read More >

You don’t hear much about the 220 Swift these days. The 22-250 has stolen its long-range thunder, commercially, anyway; and everyone is shooting the 223. A bunch of new powders, however, make the Swift just as good or better than it ever was as King of the Varmint Cartridges. ...Read More >

The desert sky dawned blue and cloudless. The sun felt good in the early morning chill. It would be less benign later in the day, reddening bared skin and creating shimmering mirage to obscure the view through the scope. ...Read More >

Whether we like it or not, the face of shooting is forever changed. Some doubtless remember when “composite” stocks first appeared on bolt-action rifles. Everyone knew rifles were supposed to be blued steel with walnut stocks, so cries of heresy were heard across the land. Then we discovered they had practical value; you didn’t have to care if they got scratched, and if they got rained on the zero wouldn’t shift. ...Read More >

My association with Thompson/Center goes back a long time. As a writer and hunter, I was always impressed by the fact you could purchase one receiver, and by just switching barrels, you could end up with a gun that could shoot standard or magnum cartridges. From the T/C Custom Shop, you could also find a never-ending supply of present-day and near-obsolete cartridges. With my passion for .22-caliber wildcats, this not only extended my shooting time in the field, but also offered a new dimension to the hobby of handloading. ...Read More >

Many shooters consider AR-15/M16 rifles chambered in 5.56 NATO as being modern, state-of-the-art technology, but the design combination has been with us for 50 years. (If we consider when experiments began, it dates back to 1957.) Dozens of U.S. manufacturers are currently producing rifles for the civilian market (not to mention government contracts) for sport, police, target competition, personal and home defense, varmint shooting and those seeking pure shooting fun. ...Read More >

The introduction of a new rifle is an interesting option for any forthcoming hunting season, but when you can have it your way with just about any standard, magnum or wildcat cartridge and all within a reasonable price point, it becomes even more fun. Custom built to your specifications, this brand-new Mk-VII rifle is now available from the premium barrel making company, E.R. Shaw in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania. ...Read More >

If you are a regular Handloader reader, you’ve heard about my ongoing adventure with my Cooper Phoenix 223. Over the space of more than a year, I’ve worked with the rifle to find a load it really liked and then began to investigate some of the many controllable variables we handloaders face. ...Read More >

When asked to develop a feature article on my favorite varmint powders, it occurred to me that perhaps first I had better list the cartridges with which I have the most varmint hunting experience. This would help to explain powder choices and force me to limit the number to a reasonable few. ...Read More >